GAI Machine SPA and Brew Source International are pleased to announce the installation of the first GAI rotary canning monobloc in the Asia Pacific.
The GAI model 3621FE-CAN was successfully commissioned at Artmonster Brewery, a well-renowned brewery and restaurant company located in Seoul, South Korea and has now been in operation for over one year.
This compact monobloc capable of reaching speeds of up to 4,000 cph features a 10-valve electropneumatic volumetric filler, an on-the-fly lid distributor and a special patented single-head seamer able to handle up to 3 different lid types already set on the machine.
Its flexibility, ease of operation and performance stability, coupled with an intuitive HMI which allows the operators to save production and format recipes and remain in control of each step of the process, make this monobloc the ideal tool for breweries looking to expand beyond what smaller linear machines can offer.
Thanks to the great attention paid to every detail of the design, the production and the sanitization processes are both highly efficient and flexible, with customization always available based on clients’ needs, including the possibility to install a liquid nitrogen injector for clients canning both still and sparkling beverages.
The GAI 3621 FE Can features a 10-valve electropneumatic volumetric filler and can reach speeds of up to 4,000 cph (Photo: GAI)
Particular care has been placed on features enabling low DO pickup during the operation. This is achieved first and foremost at the filling stage, where the volumetric electropneumatic valve allows to manage with high precision the liquid level, the headspace and the foam of each single can.
A pressure transducer placed in each filling head also keeps track of the pressure variation inside each single can, alerting the operator in case of unusual data, which may reflect a leaking seal, a damaged can mouth, or other issues.
After exiting the filling station, a bubble breaker before the lid distribution breaks up the largest bubbles, if present, on top of the foam in the can, and a purpose-built laminal gas injection system under the lid before it is applied to the can, with total control of gas intensity and flow, allows an optimisation of the gas layer above the headspace.
Results are not only remarkable but, more importantly, also easy to replicate and monitor across can formats and beer styles, reducing product waste in the brewery and increasing consistency on the shelves, ultimately having a positive impact on the bottom line of the brewery day in and day out.
According to Artmonster owner Andrew Park, “we have been very impressed with the consistency and efficiency of the 3621FE-CAN. It is really a good machine to work with, not only thanks to its technical features but also to the quality of the post-sale service offered by GAI”.
About GAI
GAI MACCHINE SPA was founded in 1946 by Elsa e Giacomo Gai. Originally focused on wine bottling equipment, the company has gradually expanded its business scope to include labelling, washing & drying, and finally canning, across multiple sectors, including cider, spirits and beer.
In 1979 the company pioneered a concept which has now become the norm in filling operations: the monobloc. The invention of the patented UNICA electropneumatic valve in 2013 enabled the extension of GAI’s new filling technology to sparkling beverages, with the first canning machine being developed in 2016.
GAI headquarters are located in Ceresole d’Alba, Italy, where in a production facility of over 47,000 sqm, with a new expansion under way, over 300 employees design and manufacture in-house over 90% of the equipment and support components. With subsidiaries in France and USA, and an extensive network of agents and distributors across the globe, GAI is among the few companies in its field that can control the complete product cycle of its equipment, from design to after-sale service, with enormous advantages for both clients and partners.
While GAI’s presence in Asia-Pacific has grown over many years, with considerable success in the wine sector, the many advantages of its patented filling technology have recently allowed the company to expand into other markets across the region.
GAI has been particularly successful in assisting new and small craft breweries in setting up their first completely automated filling monoblocs, with its MLE models (both bottling and canning) with 4, 6 or 8 heads. These are linear monoblocs that include rinsing, electropneumatic counterpressure filling and capping (or seaming) and allow operators to enjoy all the advanced features of more complex machines in a very compact space: flexibility of filling, complete control of the process, low DO levels, easy change of format, consistent performance.
The sale of the 3621FE-CAN to Artmonster, however, marked a new chapter of GAI’s presence in the region. “We are very excited for the chance to work with such a reputable brewery for this important installation, and look with great optimism to the future development of our canning and bottling machines in the region” said GAI Area Manager for Asia-Pacific Yuska Villani.
GAI’s rotary canning series also boasts the 8021RE-CAN, 12021RE-CAN and 16021RE-CAN, capable of reaching speeds of up to 8,000, 12,000 and 16,000 cph respectively and featuring an exclusive GAI-designed 4-head seamer.
The compact GAI MLE 6661 inline filler is capable of filling up to 1,600 cph (Photo: GAI)
About Brew Source International
The sale of the 3621FE-CAN was facilitated through the assistance of GAI’s long-standing partner in Korea, BREW SOURCE INTERNATIONAL. The company was founded in 2017 and was mainly focused on importing premium malt in Korea from many different regions.
Over the years, always maintaining quality as its priority, the company has expanded not only its products range, now importing also hops, fruit purees, brewhouses and packaging lines, but also its customer base, now supplying also other beverage operators, including kombucha and cider companies.
“We are delighted to be able to represent such a prestigious and reliable company as GAI and we look forward to future opportunities in Korea for premium products such as GAI’s, which fit very well with our philosophy of ‘quality first’ and which are being recognised more and more in the Korean market thanks to their technical and service excellence” said Jason Lee, founder and CEO of Brew Source International.
A family approach
Fully aware of the importance of ensuring continuous worldwide assistance to its clients, the GAI service team is always available to assist, both directly on site and through its agents, or, when this is not possible (as during lockdowns and travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic), in remote. All electropneumatic machines can in fact be connected online and GAI technicians can easily access them to provide guidance and assistance to the local team.
This set-up also reflects the company’s attitude towards the equipment supplied, which remains for all intents and purposes a “GAI product” throughout its life cycle, with clients becoming very much part of the GAI family.
An approach that goes beyond the simple supplier-client relationship and allows to create true long-term partnerships both at individual and at company level, which is ultimately a benefit for everybody involved.
